Verses for Children Part 14

The pale moon lit her paler face, And coldly watch'd our last embrace, And chill'd her tresses' sunny hue, And stole that flower's turquoise blue.

Forget me not! Forget me not!

Ah! would I could forget!

But, crying still, "Forget me not,"

Her image haunts me yet.

The fateful flower droop'd to death, The fair, false maid forswore her faith; But I obey a broken vow, And keep those wither'd blossoms now!

Forget me not! Forget me not!

Ah! would I could forget!

But, crying still, "Forget me not,"

Her image haunts me yet.

Sweet lips that pray'd--"Forget me not!"

Sweet eyes that will not be forgot!

Recall your prayer, forego your power, Which binds me by the fatal flower.

Forget me not! Forget me not!

Ah! would I could forget!

But, crying still, "Forget me not,"

Her image haunts me yet.

MADRIGAL.

Life is full of trouble, Love is full of care, Joy is like a bubble s.h.i.+ning in the air, For you cannot Grasp it anywhere.

Love is not worth getting, It doth fade so fast.

Life is not worth fretting Which so soon is past; And you cannot Bid them longer last.

Yet for certain fellows Life seems true and strong; And with some, they tell us, Love will linger long; Thus they cannot Understand my song.

THE ELLEREE.[7]

A SONG OF SECOND SIGHT.

Elleree! O Elleree!

Seeing what none else may see, Dost thou see the man in grey?

Dost thou hear the night hounds bay?

Elleree! O Elleree!

Seventh son of seventh son, All thy thread of life is spun, Thy little race is nearly run, And death awaits for thee!

Elleree! O Elleree!

Coronach shall wail for thee; Get thee shrived and get thee blest, Get thee ready for thy rest, Elleree! O Elleree!

That thou owest quickly give, What thou ownest thou must leave, And those thou lovest best shall grieve, But all in vain for thee!

"Bodach Glas!"[8] the chieftain said, "All my debts but one are paid, All I love have long been dead, All my hopes on Heaven are stay'd, Death to me can bring no dole;"

Thus the Elleree replied;-- But with ebbing of the tide As sinks the setting sun he died;-- May Christ receive his soul!

[Footnote 7: "Elleree" is the name of one who has the gift of second sight.]

[Footnote 8: "Bodach Glas," the Man in Grey, appears to a Highland family with the gift of second sight, presaging death.]

OTHER STARS.

The night is dark, and yet it is not quite: Those stars are hid that other orbs may s.h.i.+ne; Twin stars, whose rays illuminate the night, And cheer her gloom, but only deepen mine; For these fair stars are not what they do seem, But vanish'd eyes remember'd in a dream.

The night is dark, and yet it brings no rest; Those eager eyes gaze on and banish sleep; Though flaming Mars has lower'd his crimson crest, And weary Venus pales into the deep, These two with tender s.h.i.+ning mock my woe From out the distant heaven of long ago.

The night is dark, and yet how bright they gleam!

Oh! empty vision of a vanish'd light!

Sweet eyes! must you for ever be a dream Deep in my heart, and distant from my sight?

For could you s.h.i.+ne as once you shone before, The stars might hide their rays for evermore!

FADED FLOWERS.

My love she sent a flower to me Of tender hue and fragrance rare, And with it came across the sea A letter kind as she was fair; But when her letter met mine eyes, The flower, the little flower, was dead: And ere I touched the tender prize The hues were dim, the fragrance fled.

I sent my love a letter too, In happy hope no more to roam; I bade her bless the vessel true Whose gallant sails should waft me home.

But ere my letter reach'd her hand, My love, my little love, was dead, And when the vessel touch'd the land, Fair hope for evermore had fled.

SPEED WELL.

What time I left my native land, And bade farewell to my true love, She laid a flower in my hand As azure as the sky above.

"Speed thee well! Speed well!"

She softly whispered, "Speed well!

This flower blue Be token true Of my true heart's true love for you!"

Its tender hue is bright and pure, As heav'n through summer clouds doth show, A pledge though clouds thy way obscure, It shall not be for ever so.

"Speed thee well! Speed well!"

She softly whisper'd, "Speed well!

This flower blue Be token true Of my true heart's true love for you!"